Time Healer Ceres

Even from a distance, her murderous aura was impossible to miss.

“You don’t mess with my family.”

Long ago, there was a young maid whom Grace was particularly fond of. She was an orphan with no family, but she was always bright and cheerful.

One day, that girl was sexually assaulted by a high-ranking noble. He had done it solely to humiliate Grace, knowing how much she cared for the maid.

“My apologies. It was a mistake. I’ll pay whatever you ask.”

The Emperor had arranged a meeting to make peace between them. When the noble offered his apology reluctantly with an arrogant smile, Grace’s response was—

Slash!

“K-Kyaaaaaaagh!”

...to cut off the wrist of the nobleman who had laid a hand on her maid. She did it right in front of the Emperor and countless other nobles.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It was a mistake. I thought some crazy sex offender was just being a nuisance. I’ll pay whatever compensation you want, so send me the bill.”

Many people had looked down on Grace for becoming the head of her family at such a young age. But after that day, no one dared to anymore.

She was terrifying.

The murderous aura Grace had directed at the nobleman was so intense that even the Emperor could only shake his head.

Clatter.

As the two stood lost in thought, the iron chains binding Ceres suddenly snapped and fell to the ground. The chains looked so badly rusted as though they had been left there for decades.

Clink.

Ceres quickly left.

“Shouldn’t we stop her? Someone’s going to die.”

“Stop her? You?”

“......”

Ersi swallowed nervously as he stared at the rusted chains. Somehow, they looked like a glimpse of someone’s future...

***

“Please come this way.”

“Please wait your turn.”

The temple was crowded again today, with many people coming to receive a prayer from Saintess Yuness.

Rumors had spread that those who hadn’t received a prayer last time had instead been given ten thousand gold. So even those who might not receive a prayer today came hoping they would get the same amount.

“Next.”

Perhaps that was why more people were looking around for Grand Duke Persia than paying attention to the prayers.

At the priest’s call, a young girl stepped forward toward Yuness. Her face was slightly red as if embarrassed.

Still, she couldn’t hide her smile. She was clearly happy to receive a prayer from the Saintess.

“Welcome. What’s your name?”

“A-Arne.”

“Arne. I’ll pray for you.”

“Yes!”

At Yuness’s gentle voice, the girl knelt before her and clasped her hands together. She closed her eyes and felt Yuness’s hand approaching.

Just as she thought the prayer was about to begin—

Slash.

Thud.

“......?”

Something felt strange.

What was that? I thought I heard something fall.

The girl tried to open her eyes, but—

“Keep your eyes closed.”

“W-What?”

A stranger’s hand was covering them.

“Ugh... Aaaaaah! M-My hand!”

A scream rang out at that moment. She immediately recognized the voice as the Saintess’s, the same woman who had spoken to her kindly just moments ago.

Still trembling and unsure of what was happening, the girl was led away with her eyes covered.

“Haa... There’s no stopping Master.”

With the unfamiliar man’s weary sigh in her ears, she was taken out of the temple.

***

...What’s that?

Yuness blinked as she stared at something lying on the floor.

No way... My hand?

Only then did the horrible pain hit her.

“Aaaaaah! M-My hand!”

“Saintess!”

“Eek!”

“Protect the Saintess!”

Chaos broke out in an instant. The Saintess’s outstretched hand had been severed and fallen to the floor.

At first, no one understood what had happened. What is that? Why does the Saintess look like that? It wasn’t until her piercing scream rang out that the priests and holy knights realized something was wrong and rushed to protect her.

Swish.

“Gasp!”

“Saintess!”

But no one could get close to Yuness. Someone had a sword pressed to the Saintess’s throat.

“......”

The person holding the sword stared down at the Saintess, who had collapsed on the floor. Her expression was utterly indifferent.

That person is...

The owner of the Tamer Relic?

Why is she here?!

It was Ceres. She was holding a sword to Yuness’s throat.

“Eek!”

Yuness sucked in a breath as she stared at the blade. One wrong move and it would cut her. Her eyes darted frantically.

H-How did she get out?

The moment Yuness realized Ceres was the one holding the sword, her mind raced.

I had her chained up tight! What happened to the man who was supposed to be watching her? How did she get out?!

“Pick it up.”

“W-What?”

A low voice cut through Yuness’s confusion. It was unnervingly calm for someone who had just caused such chaos, which made it all the more frightening.

“Your hand. Pick it up.”

“—!”

At Ceres’s command, Yuness reached for her severed hand with trembling fingers, barely even noticing the pain anymore.

“Put it back on.”

“What...?”

“You’re a Saintess, aren’t you? Put it back on. Use your divine power.”

The severed wrist was the one that had been wearing the bracelet. But the bracelet was gone.

Yuness quickly looked around and spotted it lying nearby. While keeping an eye on Ceres, she reached for it.

Swish.

But Ceres got there first.

“Why? Do you need this?”

“—!”

Yuness was too stunned to speak. Without the bracelet, she couldn’t even reattach her severed wrist.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Do you think you’ll get away with attacking the Saintess?!”

The cardinals and high priests shouted at Ceres, trying to intimidate her. However, she didn’t even acknowledge them. Her gaze remained fixed on Yuness.

“Do you still think she’s a Saintess?”

Ceres walked over to the trembling Yuness and placed a hand on her head.

“You dare insult the Saintess—”

Whoosh!

“This woman is the Saintess? Really?”

“......! S-Saintess...!”

The moment Ceres stepped aside, everyone froze. Yuness’s appearance had changed. Her beautiful silver hair was gone, replaced by dark brown hair. Her unnaturally pale skin had darkened as well.

“Th-That woman...!”

“Heyna the Murderer?”

Whispers and shouts spread through the crowd as people recognized her.

Heyna the Murderer. She was infamous for kidnapping and murdering twenty children over seven years. She would abduct children, demand money from their parents, then brutally kill them instead of letting them go.

She was finally caught and imprisoned a year ago, but she disappeared from prison without a trace soon after. The incident caused a huge uproar.

And she had been the Saintess all this time?

“I... I..”

Yuness—no, Heyna trembled as she listened to the horrified cries around her.

Am I really going to become a murderer again?

“No!”

She hurriedly tried to escape. If she could just meet Veilks and get his help, she could start over.

Swish.

“Eek!”

But the sword was at her throat again, forcing her back to the floor.

“Now you can see them.”

Yuness looked up at Ceres, terror filling her eyes.

“The people you killed. You can see them now.”

Crash!

The bracelet lying on the floor shattered beneath Ceres’s foot.

“After all, only the dead can see the dead.”

Yuness’s face went even paler at those words.

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